Photo: Motor Werks Racing
The Porsche 944 was the kind of mid-level sports car that ordinary people could realistically afford if they pinched their pennies enough. Though it didn't have a V8 engine or even a turbocharger until 1985/86, the 944 took the classic European, rear-drive sports car and gave it a whole new layer of refinement that still looks tasty even almost 40 years later. But Motor Werks Racing of Dawsonville, Georgia, reckoned the 944's chassis had even more potential with the right set of mods. After looking at their results, we're heavily inclined to believe them.
From the factory, the 1986 Porsche 944 left the line sporting either a naturally aspirated or a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine under the hood. Good enough for between 143 and 217 hp depending on the domestic market and the choice between forced induction or naturally aspirated engines. For the time, these were perfectly serviceable engines with great driving profiles and not-awful reliability, considering it's a German sports car. But let's be real, German sports car engines have come leaps and bounds since the mid-80s.
Once the old drivetrain was removed from this particular 1986 944, Motor Werks Racing set about fitting a far better, more modern engine. That being a 1.8-liter, 20-valve Volkswagen/Audi AEB turbocharged four-cylinder engine that found its way into several different VWs and Audis between 1993 and 2010, most notably in the Audi TT drop-top sports car. Thanks to added sporty trinkets like aftermarket racing camshafts, ARP head studs for added strength and better thermal management, and a set of IE forged connecting rods make for a motor far beyond what you found in the old Audi TT.
Put it all together, and this engine's jetting 385 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque in its current configuration. Or well over double what a naturally-aspirated 1986 Porsche 944 made when it left the factory all those years ago. All this power is fed through to a Porsche 986 Boxter's transmission, which feeds to axels manufactured in-house by Motor Werks Racing's highly skilled fabrication team. The level of skill involved in getting this 944 to the state it's in absolutely begs belief.
With the addition of a full six-point roll cage, a racing bucket driver's seat, and a full interior delete replaced with a purpose-built racing steering wheel and dashboard, this 944 is basically just a race car at this stage. One can only wonder whether this rig would pass a state inspection at this point. Then again, we doubt it's seen an inspection for quite some time now, considering the private race tracks this car tends to drive over the most these days. Luckily for all of us, this car's for sale through its fabricator's own website. Check the link right here.
Once the old drivetrain was removed from this particular 1986 944, Motor Werks Racing set about fitting a far better, more modern engine. That being a 1.8-liter, 20-valve Volkswagen/Audi AEB turbocharged four-cylinder engine that found its way into several different VWs and Audis between 1993 and 2010, most notably in the Audi TT drop-top sports car. Thanks to added sporty trinkets like aftermarket racing camshafts, ARP head studs for added strength and better thermal management, and a set of IE forged connecting rods make for a motor far beyond what you found in the old Audi TT.
Put it all together, and this engine's jetting 385 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque in its current configuration. Or well over double what a naturally-aspirated 1986 Porsche 944 made when it left the factory all those years ago. All this power is fed through to a Porsche 986 Boxter's transmission, which feeds to axels manufactured in-house by Motor Werks Racing's highly skilled fabrication team. The level of skill involved in getting this 944 to the state it's in absolutely begs belief.
With the addition of a full six-point roll cage, a racing bucket driver's seat, and a full interior delete replaced with a purpose-built racing steering wheel and dashboard, this 944 is basically just a race car at this stage. One can only wonder whether this rig would pass a state inspection at this point. Then again, we doubt it's seen an inspection for quite some time now, considering the private race tracks this car tends to drive over the most these days. Luckily for all of us, this car's for sale through its fabricator's own website. Check the link right here.
Google News